A First
by gpgurl50
Summary: A possible follow up to the events of "Pass/Fail" for the Claire/Gretchen relationship.


Title: "A First"

Pairing: Claire/Gretchen

Disclaimer: I do not own the televison show "Heroes."

Notes: Takes place after the events of "Pass/Fail."

Claire kept laughing. She did not know if their laughter would ever die off. It was a rare crazy light headed moment. She never felt more exhausted. Not that she often got very exhausted besides emotionally and today she felt all of it.

She felt how hard it was to keep herself closed off as Gretchen was trying to get her to open up. She felt the unyielding hatred that came from having to speak to the man who murdered both her parents. The disgust she felt as he held her down and kissed her. She felt her heart ache as she saw Gretchen bound up and in danger because of her. She felt her heart burst and everything else fade away when she saw that everything she wanted and needed was right in front of her the whole time.

When they went back to the room hand in hand and Claire and Gretchen proceeded to clean up all the glass that seemed to find its way into every nook and cranny of their dorm. As Claire began to explain, the relief she felt to finally be honest with Gretchen melted into something else.

Suddenly, she could not stop talking about anything, everything, her whole life. How her world changed with her ability, Brody, the quarterback who tried to rape her, and what it felt like to wake up in that morgue. She told her about Sylar, Meredith, the Petrelli Family, the Bennets, Texas, Costa Verde, New York, Coyote Sands and Mexico.

She cried about Nathan s death for the first time... and now she was laughing. She did not know how it happened but she was finally feeling all right for the first time in a long time and she knew who to thank for it. She let her cheek fall against the quilt on top of Gretchen s bed and looked up at her. Jean clad legs were tangled together at the foot of the bed and Gretchen continued to stroke her wrist affectionately, drawing patterns that she could not see, but she could definitely feel.

It was like coming to life again. Gretchen was playing her like an instrument, bringing out all the notes perfectly, ones that Claire did not know she had. She felt safety, happiness- attraction.

Claire sharply inhaled as Gretchen leaned over with her other hand and brushed hair behind Claire s ear. Her hand lingered there on Claire s neck and cheek. They locked eyes and Gretchen s smile slowly melted off her face. She pulled her hand away quickly and began to inch away from her on the bed.

"I m sorry. I don t know what I was thinking," Gretchen muttered quietly before Claire grasped her wrist.

Claire sat up and ran her hand through her hair a few times in an attempt to look presentable. As much as she tried to give up on wanting the fairytale, she just could not. She took a deep breath and hoped she did not look too awful after crying. Trying her best to sound confident and sexy she said, "maybe you were thinking what I was thinking."

Gretchen froze at this and stared at Claire in wonder. Claire frowned. This was not how that was supposed to go.

"I... uh, I said things earlier, with holding your hand and I took the jump off the bridge for God s sake. I-I suck at metaphors, but I'm new at this." Claire blushed as she spoke. "I thought you'd take the lead."

She was cut off in her speech as Gretchen's lips were once again unexpectedly pressed against hers. Claire fumbled for a minute as she was cut off guard. She adjusted quickly and after a few seconds of nervousness took Gretchen s bottom lip between her own, smiling slightly as she did so.

They began to kiss passionately for a few moments and hands began roam. Claire felt Gretchen s hands settle on her hips. They began to shift, their lips never breaking contact. Finally, Claire felt herself lean over and her back hit the bed softly. Gretchen s fingers became entangled in blonde locks as she cradled Claire's head, keeping her head in position as the kisses continued playful and gentle.

Claire began to squirm in excitement as Gretchen's hands found the exposed skin in between where her shirt met her jeans. There was a time after Sylar attacked Claire when she did not think she could ever truly feel anything again, but she never felt anything stronger than what she was feeling now. She was feeling it everywhere, even the places Gretchen did not touch. It was like every cell on her skin was coming to life. Her head was reeling as nothing going through her head was a coherent thought. It was all feeling and sensation and elation she had never felt before but it felt more right than anything in her life.

She was not willing to let this feeling go, but just like what always seemed to happen with Claire, she just could not help herself. Gretchen s roaming hands wandered just a couple inches southward to the button on Claire s jeans. Claire s entire body stiffened instantly.  
Gretchen noticed the change and removed her lips from Claire s with a resounding pop. "I'm sorry. I was just-"

"Taking the lead," Claire said. Gretchen nodded.

"I just thought this was what you wanted. Kissing you, it's just like incendiary," Gretchen said with a wild elated grin.

Claire laughed at the compliment and buried her head in Gretchen's shoulder. "You use such violent words." Claire placed her hand over Gretchen's mouth to stop any words from coming out and felt the girl struggling to say something against her hand. "And don't say you're sorry. It was what I wanted. It is. And I don't want to use cliches on you." Claire said.

Gretchen shook her head no and spoke once Claire removed the hand that was covering her mouth. "Mmm. No, cliches are good. They're comforting. At least I understand where cliches are coming from."

Claire bit her lip. She knew it was a joke but she had to take the opportunity. "It's not you, it's me. I want to be with you, I just can't right now. And, and- I haven't really dated and I have issues, abandonment issues. And I'm not used to being happy or things going well for a really long time."

Gretchen leaned forward and captured another kiss. This one Claire did see coming. It was chaste but tender. When Gretchen pulled away this time, Claire followed her and connected their lips once again, deepening the kiss this time. When they pulled apart Gretchen's breathing was labored, her cheeks were flushed, and her lips were swollen and Claire could not help the bit of pride she felt at that fact.

I can wait. I can be patient. I mean, I know I'm impulsive, but that doesn't matter right now. We've dealt with invisible girls, you running away to a super-carnival, you ditching like half your classes. Dealing with the issues of the girl I've fallen in love with? Not as awful as you think." Gretchen teased.

Claire blinked a few times before a smile slowly crossed her face. "You love me?"

"Is that the only thing you heard? Not that I support you? That you make sense to me? That I'm in this for the long haul or at least sticking it out for awhile?" Gretchen asked.

"You love me?"

Gretchen chuckled. "Yup."

The biggest and goofiest grin Claire ever had spread across her face. It was the most beautiful thing Gretchen had ever seen. "Cool."


End file.
